Kirstie Elaine Alora of the Philippines (red) competes against Sorn Seavmey of Cambodia (blue) in the finals of the women’s -73 kg category of the 29th Southeast Asian Games competition Tuesday at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. Alora lost, 6-13. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SEA GAMES POOL
KUALA LUMPUR — Faced with an enemy four inches taller, Filipino top taekwondo bet Kirstie Elaine Alora lost a 14-6 decision to settle for silver in the 29th Southeast Asian Games.
Alora tried to fight through the outstretched arms of 6-foot Cambodian Sorn Seavmey up to the last second but still fell short against the opponent that has beaten her four times already.
What she can’t solve?
READ: Alora falls to familiar foe, settles for silver in taekwondo
“Her height. I tried to intercept but every time she has (arms and legs) sticking to me,” said the 27-year-old, five-foot-8 Alora in Filipino.
Seavmey is reigning Asian Games champion and just also recently defeated Alora in the Asian Championship/Olympic qualifying held in the Philippines.
“But this was the best fight I had against her, maybe next time I can get back at her,” said the Rio Olympian.
READ: Alora aims to prove she deserves to be flag-bearer
“No regrets. It was a good fight. I did my best,” said Alora who in the third round of the middleweight final tried frantically to score but still can’t find her range.
Her defeat came after Francis Aaron Agojo fell to Vietnamese Nguyen Van Duy, 30-17, in the men’s bantamweight semfiinals.
Agojo barged to the semis with a dominating 35-5 win over Cambodia’s Va Mithona.
But he found himself in the same bracket as the Vietnamese who dealt him a defeat in the gold medal match two years ago in Singapore.
The Philippine taekwondo team will go home with two golds—via men’s poomsae team and Samuel Morrison in men’s lightweight—three silvers and four bronzes.